


Songs of Shadows

by RebelleCrown



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst, Backstory, F/M, Fluff, Flying, Illyrians, Seraphim, Singing, Songs, Wings, before Feyre, mate bond feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:33:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26985982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelleCrown/pseuds/RebelleCrown
Summary: You cannot fly with broken wings. You cannot love with a broken heart. But you can be lifted. You can learn to fly, and to love, again.(Azriel x OC)
Relationships: Azriel (ACoTaR)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Songs of Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This fic is not mine alone - it's coauthored by me and one of my closest friends. She doesn't have an AO3 account so I'm posting this on mine, but we will both be replying to comments together. We hope you enjoy this look at Velaris life in the centuries before the Archeron sisters, because we're headcanoning it pretty hard by this point...

Darkness. That was all he could see. Unyielding, unrelenting darkness. So intense and cruel that it threatened to swallow him whole. 

Rhysand of the Night Court was dreaming. He heard piercing screams, the very same ones that haunted him every night. The ones that would never leave him. The ones he had heard that day when his life had changed. The screams of his family, being ripped away from him.

He jerked awake, sweat slowly dripping down his torso. His room was consumed by the shadow of his power, endlessly devouring itself. He speared a tendril of his power throughout the room, searching for any sign of danger. This had become routine for Rhys. Have a nightmare, wake up sweating, search for danger, don a new mask, pretend everything is okay. Do it all over again.

Some day, Rhys felt, someone would be there to wake him from his nightmares. Someone who could look past his mask and see all of him, yet still be unafraid. But that day was not today.

Slowly, the newly minted High Lord of the Night Court rose from his bed. Slowly, so slowly, the shadows dissipated. Rhys got dressed and gathered his thoughts. Today, he needed to speak to Miryam and Drakon about their alliance. The Seraphim people were wondrous, very counterpart to the Illyrians. The Seraphim were the light to the darkness of the Illyrians. Rhys had often wondered what it would be like to have six wings like the Seraphim had, rather than his own two. They would make good allies, and Miryam and Drakon were his friends.

A light knock sounded at his bedroom door. Without any warning, the door swung open. Mor and Cassian swaggered through the door, unashamed, while an exasperated looking Azriel trailed behind them. Rhys quickly pasted on an easy, cocky grin to hide what had just happened.

"Shouldn't you have better manners when awakening your high lord?" Rhys drawled.

Mor snorted, and Cassian launched into roaring laughter.

"Its not our fault you need more beauty sleep than anyone in the entire night court," Mor pointed out.

Cassian and Mor started chatting away, oblivious to how shattered Rhys was inside. Azriel, however, shot Rhys a meaningful look and subtly gestured for Rhys to step to the side with him.

"You know, you don't need to do that," Azriel quietly said.

"Do what?" Rhys asked, feigning a smile.

Azriel didn't answer, but rather continued to stare at his High Lord, probing. Rhys huffed a sigh- it was impossible. The spymaster knew it all.

"I can't seem to escape their screams. I've gotten this title thrust upon me when it should still belong to my father. I don't know if I can do this," Rhys admitted softly.

Azriel nodded, and put a hand on Rhys's shoulder. A voice rang out, but it was not Azriel's.

"You aren't in this alone. We know it still hurts, but you have to let us help you," Mor said. Cassian nodded his agreement.

Rhys took a deep breath. Another. Then visibly relaxed a bit. "Let's go visit Miryam and Drakon."

**.oOo.**

Miryam and Drakon were waiting on the shore to greet them. Miryam, still tripping slightly over her newly immortal body, hugged Rhys tightly. 

"Rhys, I am so sorry about your parents, and your sister. They were too young, and I can't even imagine losing someone important too early." She glanced at Drakon upon finishing her sentence. 

A pang of pure, undiluted pain shot through Rhys, threatening to bring him to his knees. He swallowed and banished the pain deep. "Thank you. It's so good to see you both again, it's been too long. I've been so busy as the new High Lord. I wanted to make sure in light of recent events, we still have an alliance with the Seraphim people," Rhys answered.

Miryam and Drakon exchanged a glance. 

"Well, of course we'll ally with you, Rhysand. But there is one thing we were hoping you could assist us with." Drakon explained. 

"Anything you need." Rhys answered, cocking an eyebrow. 

"Within reason, of course." Amren added, an edge in her voice. Mor shot her a look.

"Yes, well...follow us. It's easier to show you," Miryam said, slightly unnerved. As they walked deeper into the island, Drakon explained what they meant.

"Recently, one of our best warriors returned from a mission. They were badly injured, and only one pair of their wings survived. They have no idea how to fly using only them, and they've been in shambles about it for the past couple weeks."

Cassian and Azriel stiffened. To lose even a small part of a wing was agony, both mentally and physically. But to lose 2 _pairs_ of them? It hurt to even think about, especially when wings were valued above anything else.

They rounded a corner and came upon an isolated hut. Great pain emanated from it, crashing in waves. Whoever was in there was not faring well.

Miryam gently walked up to the door, and softly rapped upon it. The door opened slightly, to reveal - 

A stunning, silver haired female, her face unreadable. Her pale green eyes flicked around the group, judging, weighing. She stepped aside, inviting them in. 

There was no sign someone lived there. The bed looked untouched, no food in sight, no personal belongings, aside from some armor and a few swords, along side bandages set upon the lone table. 

"Miryam, what is this?" She asked, turning towards the gentle woman.

Cassian stepped in, flaring his wings slightly. The female surveyed him, taking in his wings. Azriel stepped beside Cassian.

"As you can see, we know what it would be like to lose something so precious. We've almost had the same thing happen." As he says this, both him and Cassian flare their wings. The candlelight in the hut illuminated the various cuts that decorated the membrane. 

The female nodded slightly, understanding. To Miryam's protest, she turned and unwrapped her bandages, showing her back. Angry welts lined where her other 4 wings should have been, and one lone pair remained, drooping slightly. A single tear slid down her cheek.

"We healed her as best as we could, but nothing could be done. We need you to take her with you to Prythian, and help her learn to use her last pair." Drakon commented.

"You still expect her to fight, after being brutalized like this?" Mor asked. 

"It wasn't their choice. I want to fight. It's my job as the general of the secondary legions." The female interrupted. Cassian and Azriel exchanged a glance. This was unheard of in Illyrian culture, as females were just seen as breeding tools. Azriel looked at her as though seeing her in a new light.

"Well, I'm sure I could-" Cassian started.

"I'll teach her." Azriel cut in. Amren furrowed her brows, Mor let out a squawk of surprise, and even Rhys was taken aback. But Azriel just stepped closer, and offered her his scarred hand. She did not flinch away, but rather firmly grasped it. 

"My name is Azriel."

"I'm...Aria."

**Author's Note:**

> See you soon for the first chapter!


End file.
